


Habitual

by kek2may



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, M/M, Nightmares, Sharing beds, could be rly bad, first time trying this out, idk how to tag so just know it'll be super soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-21
Updated: 2020-07-21
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:29:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25417726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kek2may/pseuds/kek2may
Summary: Habitual- Done or doing constantly or as a habit.Spencer Reid is constantly having nightmares and found that the only cure is having Derek Morgan near him. Derek Morgan is constantly worried about Spencer Reid and found that the only cure is being near him.
Relationships: Derek Morgan/Spencer Reid
Kudos: 77





	Habitual

**Author's Note:**

> This is going to be based off the scene in season 4 episode 6 'The Instincts', where Reid is having the nightmare and calls out for Morgan's help. Not really any spoilers because that scene really just inspired this I guess.

The nightmares started about 2 years after Reid joined the BAU, and as usual instead of actually talking to someone for help with them he chose to ignore them. Everyone could sense something was up, but no one said anything because it wasn't impacting their work and they all knew Reid was a more private person. It was on a case a few months after they started that Morgan couldn't take it anymore and just had to do something.  
Morgan was woken up suddenly and couldn't figure out why, at first he thought it was just his body being used to waking up randomly at 2am for different cases, but then he heard something. It started out as just a slight whimper and then slowly got louder. It wasn't until he heard his name being yelled out by the person in the bed next to him that he realized what was going on.  
"Reid, Reid, wake up man." He whispered, but it didn't stop. Morgan repeated that a few more times, but still Reid would not wake up. The room had gotten silent again after the fourth time of Morgan asking him to wake up, so Morgan just assumed the nightmare had ended.  
"MORGAN" Reid yelled, and that was what caused Morgan to just do what he wanted to do from the beginning of what he heard of the nightmare, which was get up to the other bed and shake the boy awake.  
"Reid, kid I'm here. Look at me, you're okay" That seemed to kick Spencer out of the nightmare and cause him to wake up. Even though Morgan was confused, there was a sense of relief that flooded through his body since waking up. Spencer just clung to Derek like he was the only solid thing that would keep the nightmares away. Little did either of them know that that was a big part of the truth and that that would be a big part of their future.  
The next morning neither of them spoke about what happened, partly because it felt fake and the other part was because there was nothing that was needing to be said out loud that would change what happened.  
The next night it happened all over again, this time Derek was less scared of helping Spencer and more scared about how serious the nightmares seemed to be. Derek had told himself while holding Spencer and helping him fall back to sleep that he had to bring it up once the case was over. As scary as this thought was, he just couldn't deal with the idea that his pretty boy was going through this level of nightmare every night.  
The case had ended a couple days later, each night being like the previous with the nightmares. While on the jet Derek thought over how the conversation with Spencer would go. He knew that it didn't matter how many variations of the conversation he came up with, it was still going to be one of the hardest conversations he would have to have. That thought scared him more than it should, he didn't want his friendship with Spencer to end, but he also was too worried to ignore the severity of what was going on.  
"Hey Reid why don't you just ride with me, most of the trains are down right now and it's not like your apartment isn't on my way home." Spencer thought about the offer for a couple seconds before agreeing. It couldn't hurt and his exhaustion was just adding to his need to get home as fast as possible.  
"Yeah sure, just let me grab my stuff and I'll be ready" Spencer of course always left stuff at his desk almost as if he wasn't used to being on a case more often than not. The car ride was silent for a couple minutes before Derek got the courage to say something.  
"Reid, have your nightmares always been this severe?" Not one for beating around the bush, Derek felt just getting straight to the point would only rip the bandaid off faster.  
"I mean they didn't start off so constant and personal, but they've always been scary. Usually I'm able to just sleep through them, but I guess they've gotten pretty bad recently," Spencer knew he was kind of rambling a little bit, but that was expected with a question that caught him so off guard.  
"If you need to talk I'm here. I dealt with my fair share of nightmares, whether just a simple one or one that seemed never ending when I first joined the team. Anyway, I know this is probably going to take you by surprise and you don't have to agree with me right now, or ever, I just want you to know that the option is available. Do you want to maybe, um, stay with me at least until the nightmares get better?" After saying that the car went silent again for what felt like hours, but was probably only like 2 minutes. At a red light Derek looked over at Spencer and saw something he never thought he'd see. Spencer Reid, the man with a 187 IQ, an eidetic memory, and that could read 20,000 words per minute was speechless. The light turned green causing Derek to look away, but the nervousness he was feeling did not ease up until Spencer finally spoke.  
"I mean if it doesn't cause any problems with your sleep, I would definitely not mind staying with you for the time being. I know I shouldn't be saying this because your ego is big enough, but I've slept better the past few days in a grimy hotel with you than I have in years." He had wanted to say ever, but he felt that that was going too far especially since Derek was just being a good friend. Right?  
"Pretty boy, don't worry, I would not have offered if I felt that it would bother me. Also I feel the same way, and I just want to make sure you're okay." After that nothing felt like the right thing to say, so they both just stayed silent. Besides, Derek's house was only a few minutes away at that point and they were both so tired from the case that they just wanted to get inside and go to sleep.  
At first it was kind of awkward, but eventually they both got into a new routine and everything just fit in a way that felt too perfect. They never said what sharing a bed and practically living together meant, and as long as both of them were still comfortable with everything nothing was needed to be said. After the first month Spencer stopped waking up in the middle of the nights, meaning technically he could go back to sleeping at his apartment, but he couldn't get himself to actually go through with it. There were only so many excuses he could make up before realizing that they were just that, excuses, so he decided to stop thinking about it. Derek was the exact opposite though, he obviously knew that his feelings for Spencer were more than just platonic, but the idea of admitting that to anyone outside of himself was terrifying. He was coming up with excuse after excuse, but eventually he ran out, he just decided to ignore what it meant and just enjoy the fact that he was no longer worrying about Spencer when they weren't around each other.  
What started as just sharing a bed and agreeing that it was only to help Spencer out with his nightmares became something more. They would ride into work together every morning no matter how early it was and then Spencer would go back to Derek's in the evenings. Spencer slowly started moving in to Derek's house without even realizing it. At first it was just a drawer of clothes, and the basic needs like a toothbrush, hairbrush, shampoo, etc., but soon became Spencer taking up half of the closet with his button ups and sweater vests, and having his own half of the dresser. Still, neither of them said anything, too scared to end whatever dream they were living.  
The next case was when everything came to a halt, or I guess moved forward in a different way. The team had somehow gotten the funds to give everyone their own rooms and they were all happy about it, or all of them except for Spencer and Derek.  
"Morgan, I bet you're happy that you don't have to deal with Reid's mess at night anymore" Rossi had jokingly said, but for some reason this just didn't sit right with Derek and he just walked outside. Rossi not realizing he had said anything just moved onto another conversation with JJ and Prentiss. Spencer was worried though, was there some truth to what Rossi had said. He knew that he made quite a mess given the opportunity, but it never seemed to bother Derek, if anything he seemed to like the lived in look it gave their hotel rooms.  
After a few minutes Derek came back looking a little less stressed, but seemed worried still. Spencer didn't understand, but figured it wasn't his place to understand. Derek would tell him eventually and then everything would make sense. Hotch gave everyone keys to their rooms except for Derek and Spencer. The rest of the group didn't notice, too tired to notice anything outside of themselves.  
"Morgan and Reid stay back for a couple minutes, we need to talk." Even though Hotch always sounded serious, this time he sounded serious with a hint of worry and understanding.  
"Yeah Hotch, what's up?" Derek asked, already partly knowing what was about to be brought up.  
"I don't know why you both seem to be more excited about sharing a room than having your own, but I go you guys a shared room. There's two beds, but I need to know what this is about right now. You guys both know about anti-fraternization rules and how an inter-team relationship can hurt the work we do on cases." This shouldn't have taken either of them by surprise. Derek kind of already knew what was coming, except for the insinuation that they were dating. Spencer on the otherhand was taken aback by what was said. Spencer was once again rendered speechless by a teammate, at least this time it was his boss and that was kind of expected.  
"Um well, ever since the case in Seattle a few months ago Reid and I have been sharing beds to help with his nightmares, at first it was more just in case he woke up, but then we realized that sharing a bed helped keep the nightmares coming at all. I guess at this point it's just a habit to share a bed, so it kind of took me by surprise hearing we'd get our own rooms and Rossi's comment took me off guard." Spencer knew there was more to what Derek had said about sharing a bed than was explicitly stated, but none of the three of them acknowledged it.  
"Okay, so from now on you guys will share a room. If this becomes anything else then it cannot effect your work with the team, and if I notice any slacking or issues I will shut it down right away." Both Spencer and Derek nodded their heads and then left to go to their shared room. As tired as they both were they knew they needed to talk about everything going on right away, or else they'll just keep ignoring it.  
"My nightmares haven't been happening at all for the past month" Spencer didn't know how else to say that sharing a bed with Derek was more to him than just getting rid of stupid nightmares.  
"Yeah, I kind of figured. I also enjoy sharing a bed if that was what you were trying to get at. At first I tried to ignore everything and treat it as me just being a good friend, but it's kind of hard to ignore romantic feelings for your best friend when you're cuddling with him." Derek was trying not to laugh out of embarrassment after saying that last sentence, but the silence that was just there after he finished was getting to be too much for him. As he was getting ready to just go into the bathroom and pretend he didn't just confess to having romantic feelings for his best friend of 4 years, Spencer spoke up.  
"That's how I feel I think. I know it's funny that I have nothing to really say after you saying that, but it's kind of difficult especially since you said exactly what I was trying to hint at without saying it out loud." They both kind of stood there awkwardly not saying anything, eventually Derek stepped forward looked at Spencer with an intensity that Spencer has never seen before.  
"Spencer Reid, I want you to know that you are the first person I have ever felt this way about. This is going to sound super cheesy and cliche so stop me when you want. At first I tried to ignore my feelings for you, thinking that it was some stupid crush purely because I was spending pretty much every waking hour and even sleeping hour with you. After realizing how bad your nightmares really were all I wanted to do was make sure you were okay. I guess what I'm saying is that I love you and it took us sharing a bed for months to admit it out loud so please don't hate me." Instead of saying anything all Spencer could do was kiss him. Both of them were crying, not because Derek's words were emotional, but because they were both finally able to understand everything the other was thinking over the past few months.  
"If that didn't tell you that I love you too then hopefully me saying it will. Now it is 2am and I don't know about you but I am exhausted and we have a case to work starting in 4 hours so I'm going to sleep."  
Spencer was laying in bed half asleep by the time Derek came out from the shower ready for bed.  
"Goodnight Spencer Reid, I love you and I hope to always be the one to help keep your nightmares away."

**Author's Note:**

> I hope it isn't too boring, but it was my first attempt at making tweets of mine into a fic. Thank you so much for reading! If you enjoyed this please let me know! Also follow me on Twitter if you want @wldflwrfilms


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